


Orpik nutaraq

by Frasers_soulmate



Category: due South
Genre: Backstory, Childhood, Christmas, Christmas Tree, Dogsledding, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Nature, Nature Magic, Other, Wilderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28096254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frasers_soulmate/pseuds/Frasers_soulmate
Summary: Little Ben, now living with his grandparents wants to have a real Christmas tree like they had when his mother was still alive.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 9





	Orpik nutaraq

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinadolphin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinadolphin/gifts).



> My friend Tina showed me a photo of a little crooked tree the other day and said Little Ben would like it.  
> So I made this little Christmas story out of it.  
> I hope you'll enjoy it.
> 
> The title is in Inuktitut and means something like little tree. 
> 
> Merry Christmas!

Orpik nutaraq

"Grandma!"

Seven year old Ben ran into the kitchen where his grandmother was preparing lunch.

"Why are you yelling, kid?" Asked the grandmother, "I'm not deaf after all."

The boy grinned crookedly and climbed onto a kitchen chair.

"Sorry," he muttered, "but ..."

"What is it, Benton?"

Grandmother pushed the soup pot off the stove and sat down across from her grandson.

The boy looked at her with his big blue eyes.

"When is grandpa coming back?"

The grandmother smiled indulgently.

"He's helping out in the Inuit village, you know that. That can take a while. I think he'll be back tonight."

"But…"

"Benton, what's wrong?"

Ben suddenly looked sad.

"We still have to fetch a tree, grandma," he said softly, looking down.

The grandmother looked at him sternly and said: "We don't need a tree, boy. Trees belong in the forest, not in the living room."

Tears came to the child's eyes.

"I used to fetch a tree with Dad," he said sadly.

When his mother was still alive, he would go into the woods with his father the morning before Christmas and choose a Christmas tree.

Dad used to say, "Remember son, not too big, not too small, not too perfect."

And so each time Ben chose a small tree that was a little crooked and imperfect.

But now the grandmother didn't want a tree at all?

Maybe Grandfather thought differently about it, because Christmas without a tree wasn't a real Christmas after all.

And it was the first Christmas without his mum.

And whether his dad came home was also written in the stars.

"But grandma ..." objected the boy.

Grandmother determined rigorously and went back to lunch.

************************************************

It was already dark. Ben sat by the window and stared out into the cold winter night.

He was waiting for grandfather.

Grandmother was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, sewing Ben's winter coat.

She mended the sleeves and left the hem out.

She sighed.

The boy needed a new coat; he had gradually outgrown the old one.

But the little money they had was not enough. In winter it was hard to make money. The library didn't make a lot.

And Robert hadn't sent any money yet. Or it hadn't arrived yet. Maybe he would come home for Christmas himself, Ben would be happy about that.

And tomorrow was Christmas Eve.

Ben heard Grandfather's dog sled even though the window was closed.

The dogs barked loudly and Grandfather gave them orders.

"Grandma! Grandpa is coming home!" The boy called and jumped from the window sill.

Martha Fraser winced.

"Benton!", She reprimanded him, "Don't scare me like that! Why do you always have to yell?!"

"Sorry Grandma, but I'm glad Grandpa is coming home," said Ben meekly.

Martha smiled indulgently.

The little one ran to the door.

"Grandpa!" He called from afar, "I have to talk to you!"

The grandfather laughed.

"Wait until I have brought the dogs into the barn and looked after them, then I'll come in."

"I'll get my coat and help you," said Ben, but then he remembered that grandmother was mending his coat and he didn't have another one. And without a coat, grandfather wouldn't allow it.

"It's okay, Ben," he heard his grandfather say, "it's enough if one of us is cold. Go inside, I'll be right there."

Ben jumped from one foot to the other and couldn't wait for Grandfather to come into the house.

"Do you have ants in your pants or what's wrong with you?" Asked the grandmother annoyed.

"No, I'm waiting for grandfather," laughed Ben, "there aren't any ants in winter!"

"Oh, Ben," sighed the grandmother, put the sewing kit aside and stood up.

She went to make grandfather hot tea, he had to be cold.

At last the door opened and Grandfather entered. Ice crystals glittered in his fur hat and mustache.

It was really very cold that pre-Christmas Eve.

"Brrrrr", the grandfather shuddered as he took off his hat and coat, "it's cold outside."

"Yes," said the grandmother, "we need more wood, George. It's going to be an icy Christmas."

She put a cup of hot tea into her husband's hand.

"I'll chop wood first thing in the morning, Martha," answered George, gratefully accepting the tea.

Then he sat down by the stove while Martha warmed up the soup for him.

George eyed his grandson. "Well, what's on your mind, boy?" He asked.

"Grandpa? Can we get a Christmas tree tomorrow? Not too big, not too small and not too perfect?"

George pulled his grandson onto his lap and said with a smile: "You know, Ben, your grandmother doesn't like trees in the house. She thinks trees belong in the forest. And isn't she right?"

Ben considered. Well, actually yes, but what is Christmas without a Christmas tree?

"Dad and I always fetched one," said Ben meekly, "and in the afternoon we decorated it with Mum. I miss Mum."

The boy sniffed, but bravely held back the tears.

***********************************************

When Ben woke up it was still dark.

And it was cold in the room. Beautiful ice flowers grew on the window pane and even the top of his thick feather bed was covered with a thin, glittering layer of ice.

But under the covers it was warm and cozy. Canada geese down really kept warm.  
Ben pulled the covers over his ears and closed his eyes.

He dreamed of a Christmas party with his parents.

The next time he woke up, it was warm in the room. The ice had melted.

Grandfather must have made a fire in the small stove.

Ben heard the steady 'click-click' of the ax outside. He climbed out of bed, opened the large closet, in which, in addition to his few clothes, he also kept a few mementos, and took out a cardboard box tied with colored string.

Inside was the Christmas decorations he had made with his mother.

Small stars, folded from sturdy, colored paper.

A chain made of popcorn with gaps in some places.

A few small wooden balls that his father had carved and that Ben and his mum had painted and a gold pearl chain.

And then there was the golden poinsettia that was placed on top of the tree.

That was always the highlight.

Mum made hot chocolate with marshmallows on top and they sang Christmas carols.

When Ben woke up the next morning there had always been a few presents and sweets for him under the tree.

He took the star in his hand, stroked it gently and sighed softly.

This year the decoration was useless and would probably stay in the closet.

But Ben could use it to decorate his room, that was an idea!

He would start right after breakfast and when he was done with his chores.

He would still have Christmas.

**********************************************

"Good morning and merry Christmas, Benton," called the grandmother as he ran down the stairs.

"Good morning, grandma!", Ben replied, "Merry Christmas to you too!"

On his breakfast spot next to his bowl of oatmeal there was a gingerbread and an apple.

He looked at the sweets with wide eyes. "Thank you, grandma," he said reverently.

Martha smiled and stroked his head.

"Now eat, my little one," she said affectionately, "and then you should come to your grandfather, he needs your help."

Ben nodded and started eating his breakfast.

Before he went out to see Grandfather, he wanted to put the Christmas decorations back into the closet.

The decoration of his room had to wait, Grandfather needed him.

But when he got to his room the box was gone.

Before he could start looking for it, he heard Grandfather call for him and the dogs bark.

So there was a dog sled ride.

That pleased him very much.

He loved driving in the dog sled through the white winter forest and watching trees and bushes whiz past him, plus the barking of the dogs and grandfather cheering them on while he, Ben, sat comfortably wrapped up in the sled. Unfortunately, grandfather didn't allow him to drive the sleigh himself. He said Ben was still too young.

Well, he'd find the decoration again. Maybe grandmother had put it away?

He quickly put on his boots and the repaired coat, put on the hat and had Grandmother tie the scarf around him.

It belonged to his father and was much too long for him. Grandmother almost wrapped him in it and said, "This will keep you warm, Benton. It's almost 30 degrees below zero outside."

But Ben didn't mind. He ran happily out of the house.

"Come on!" called grandfather in a good mood, picked up the boy and put him in the sledge.

Then he covered him with the heavy blanket and tucked it on the sides.

"You won't be cold, Ben," he said, "it's really freezing today."

"That doesn't matter," said Ben, beaming with the blue sky.

"Where are you going, grandfather?" He asked curiously.

"We need firewood," replied the grandfather.

Ben wondered. Usually the wood for winter was ready in autumn. They stored it on the wall of the shed.

"We have firewood," he said.

"But not enough. We need sticks for grandmother's hearth and it's nice and dry in the cold."

Alright.

The main thing is to take a dog sled ride.

Grandfather cheered on MacDonald, the lead dog, and the wild chase began.

The trees and bushes flew past Ben and the dogs barked wildly.

The frozen snow crunched under the runners and Grandfather shouted orders to the dogs.

Ben was happy.

Grandfather started a Christmas carol and Ben joined in with his crystal-clear voice.

So the journey went over the cold tundra and the frozen lake to the edge of the forest.

Grandfather stopped the sledge there.

"Are we there?" Asked Ben. His cheeks and nose were frozen red and his blue eyes were shining.

"Yes," Grandfather nodded with a smile and pulled the scarf over his grandson's nose and mouth.

Ben climbed out of the sled and helped his grandfather tie the dogs so they couldn't scramble.

Then the grandfather took the boy by the hand and they went into the forest.

Ben had noticed that grandfather had taken a basket with him and he wondered what was in it.

In any case, the basket was too small for firewood.

They climbed through the undergrowth for a while. Grandfather in the lead, so that the boy had it easier.

Then they came to a clearing.

It was quiet. Only the frost cracked in the frozen trees.

With amazed eyes, Ben stopped and looked up at the large spruce trees.

They were covered with glittering ice crystals that made the morning sun look like gold and silver.

"Like in a fairy tale," breathed the child and the grandfather smiled knowingly.

Then Ben saw a small tree under the huge Christmas trees that was hiding in the shade of the magnificent spruce trees.

It was barely covered with snow and had grown a little crooked.

"Grandfather!", He called, "look! That would be a beautiful Christmas tree. And if we take him with us, Grandmother will probably no longer mind."

Ben ran over to the small tree and carefully brushed the snow off the branches.

"Not too big, not too small, not too perfect," he muttered, not noticing that the grandfather had stepped next to him.

Grandfather put his hand on Ben's shoulder and said: "Do you think the big trees would like it if we just take the little one with us? And do you think it would like to tear it out of its natural environment and take it somewhere where it doesn't feel comfortable?"

Ben thought about it.

When his mum died he thought for a while that his dad was taking him to the children's home because he had to work and after all he couldn't take Ben with him.

That had frightened him terribly.

Out of his natural environment and where he didn't like it.

A terrible thought for a nature child like him.

But his dad had brought him to live with the grandparents and that was good.

This little tree was like him.

Not too small, not too big, not too perfect.

"Grandfather?" Ben looked at him with wide eyes, "I want the little tree to stay here, because this is where it belongs. Just like me."

"Good decision, Ben," said the grandfather and nodded, "I knew I had a clever grandson."

Ben was proud and delighted with the praise.

He didn't need a Christmas tree in the living room if he could get the glittering grandeur of the forest here.

Then Grandfather put the basket down and opened it.

He reached in and took out what Ben looked strangely familiar.

"Mum's Christmas decorations!" He exclaimed in surprise.

"We are decorating the tree here! Grandpa, you are the best!"

Happy the boy jumped into grandfather's arms.

Laughing, grandpa spun him around.

"I also have the best grandson in the world!" He laughed.

Then they decorated the small, imperfect tree with colored paper stars, a popcorn chain that had gaps and brightly painted wooden balls.

Finally, Grandfather picked Ben up so he could put the poinsettia on top of the tree.

Then grandfather and grandson took a few steps back to look at the tree.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Said the grandfather.

Ben nodded eagerly. "Yes, it is, grandpa. And do you know why? Because it is allowed to be here in his natural environment. Between its large, glittering relatives. I think sometimes the imperfect is perfect."

Grandfather put his arm around him.

"Yes, you are right, my boy. I told you I had a clever grandson."

Ben grinned.

Then Grandfather took home-baked Christmas cakes and a thermos with hot mint tea from the basket. That was what Ben preferred to drink.

He handed the boy a mug and a piece of cake.

"Merry Christmas, Ben," he said.

"Merry Christmas, Grandpa," answered Ben, "and thank you for the lovely present. I've known for a long time that the most beautiful things in life are not things."

TYK


End file.
